Groups prepare to help needy during cold weather

Area homeless shelters are bending their rules to allow people to arrive earlier who need a place to stay overnight. The Salvation Army on Broad Street usually does not allow people to check in to stay overnight until 10 p.m., but because of the recent cold weather they are starting to let those needing a bed to check in after dinner at 6 p.m. Here, Robert Jenkins gets a warm hug from his friend Roxie Stone as they wait in line for dinner at the Salvation Army on Monday evening. Although they are eating at the Salvation Army they plan on spending the night at another nearby shelter.

Mike Hensdill

By Diane Turbyfill

Published: Monday, January 6, 2014 at 05:30 PM.

At least two area shelters are staying open extra hours to help house the homeless. The Salvation Army cold-weather shelter and the As One Ministries day shelter upped their assistance Monday and Tuesday as the cold weather moved in.

The day shelter stayed open past dark, and the Salvation Army let people come in four hours early, according to Capt. Mark Hunter. The Salvation Army provides shelter for up to 64 residents each night and has been operating at 90 to 100 percent occupancy, Hunter said.

A secondary shelter opens when temperatures dip below 40 degrees, with a capacity to hold 45 additional people. Normally, those people can check in at 10 p.m. But Hunter decided Monday to allow them in as soon as the cafeteria was cleaned up from dinner, around 6 p.m., he said.

The Salvation Army took back over the cold-weather shelter this year. As One Ministries had been operating the assistance the past couple of years. While As One Ministries is no longer open overnight, director Angela Dreher couldn’t bring herself to close the daytime shelter at 5 p.m. as usual.

At least two area shelters are staying open extra hours to help house the homeless. The Salvation Army cold-weather shelter and the As One Ministries day shelter upped their assistance Monday and Tuesday as the cold weather moved in.

The day shelter stayed open past dark, and the Salvation Army let people come in four hours early, according to Capt. Mark Hunter. The Salvation Army provides shelter for up to 64 residents each night and has been operating at 90 to 100 percent occupancy, Hunter said.

A secondary shelter opens when temperatures dip below 40 degrees, with a capacity to hold 45 additional people. Normally, those people can check in at 10 p.m. But Hunter decided Monday to allow them in as soon as the cafeteria was cleaned up from dinner, around 6 p.m., he said.

The Salvation Army took back over the cold-weather shelter this year. As One Ministries had been operating the assistance the past couple of years. While As One Ministries is no longer open overnight, director Angela Dreher couldn’t bring herself to close the daytime shelter at 5 p.m. as usual.

“I’m just scared. Maybe someone will be too cold to walk down there,” she said.

On Monday afternoon, Dreher said that some of the homeless men who spend their days at As One said they intended to spend Monday night on the streets. “I’ve got a couple of them telling me they’re going to stay outside tonight,” she said. “I told them I don’t see how they’re going to do it.”

The possibility keeps Dreher up. “I probably won’t sleep,” she said.

Dreher speculated Monday afternoon that she might drive around on her way home to see if anyone needed a ride to the cold-weather shelter. Gastonia police spoke with Hunter Monday to make special arrangements. Officers who encountered someone in need were given permission to bring them to the shelter throughout the night.

Dreher said she also heard from the American Red Cross, making sure people had somewhere to stay day and night during the cold snap. Those who stay in the cold-weather shelter get breakfast then must leave the Salvation Army by 7 a.m.

Hunter said he’d probably relax that policy Tuesday and likely Wednesday. He also said the organization has been taking donations to help keep people warm this winter. Volunteers and staff will try to make sure everyone leaves the shelter Tuesday morning with hats, coats and blankets.

“We’re going to do our best to send them out with something warm,” he said.

You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and twitter.com/GazetteDiane.